On a journey through the West African countryside this summer, Paul and I discussed what discipleship is. It is a lifestyle of saying yes to God, making it all about Him and not us, and investing in others. If we teach our students at Africa Theological Seminary the importance of discipleship, we want to ensure it is evident in our lives. Are we in the race of making disciples?
So on this African drive, we asked ourselves about the different areas of our lives, such as Paul’s writing articles and books that are on the horizon, visiting supporters, visiting churches, having people in our home, young people over for meals and discussions around our table, helping with spiritual retreats at the family ranch, parenting, and caring for our mothers. Are we saying yes to God, are we intentionally practicing discipleship, or are we just busy?
As we reflected on this question, God spoke to us through an old friend we had not seen in many years. Sitting around a table in West Africa at a guest house, he said, “You will never know how many lives were changed by your lifestyle. You had people from all walks in your home. You fed them a home-cooked meal, challenged them in intellectual conversation, spurred them into deeper thought, prayed for them, gave them a bed to sleep in, and listened. How often did these people say, ‘I’m not sure why I am telling you this…’ and then share a deep hurt or challenging event. I saw lives change; I changed.”
We often find ourselves putting one foot in front of the other. Our path requires lots of travel: trips to Kenya to teach, trips for meetings, trips to visit supporters and churches, and a trip to West Africa. We pray that we intentionally live a discipleship lifestyle, not just a busy one.